Stanford plays spoiler to Oregon’s dreams of a BCS championship shot

The kick hadn’t even split the uprights yet, and already Stanford was celebrating.

Oregon junior safety Brian Jackson, who had lost just three times since the start of his redshirt freshman season in 2010, watched the Cardinal swarm the field in Autzen Stadium, upset winners over Oregon, and wasn’t quite sure what he was experiencing.

“It didn’t seem real at the time,” Jackson said.

Then, reality set it. Defeat. Shock. The understanding that, not only had the Ducks lost a football game but probably a shot at the national championship, too.

“You’d love to have some words that could kind of take the pain out of it,” UO coach Chip Kelly said. “But there aren’t any.”

Top-ranked Oregon fell in overtime to the Cardinal on Saturday, 17-14, on a field goal by Jordan Williamson of 37 yards, after UO kicker Alejandro Maldonado missed in overtime for the Ducks. On a night when officials were on hand from the Orange Bowl — which hosts this year’s BCS title game — the Ducks suffered their first defeat, ending a school-record winning streak of 13 games.

Earlier, Kansas State lost to Baylor, clearing a path for the Ducks to be ranked No. 1 today not just in the polls, but in the BCS standings as well. But it was not to be, after a dominant performance by Stanford’s defensive front seven largely shut down Oregon’s explosive offense and overshadowed a gritty effort by the Ducks’ own defense, led by 20 tackles from Michael Clay.

“We try not to think of those things, but it still hurts; we don’t live in a bubble,” UO quarterback Marcus Mariota said. “But that’s one game. It doesn’t define our season.” Click here for the complete story.